Comments on: Five Questions On Accusations Of Racism In SFF Publishing

By: Racism In SFF?

Racism In SFF? — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:02:01 +0000

[...] UPDATE 2: Here’s the update. [...]

By: Mark C Newton

Mark C Newton — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:06:13 +0000

Hi David – thanks for the link. I remember reading about that incident. Yes, I quite agree – it really can be awkward for publishers, and you have to wonder how realistic such changes can be in a more commercialised industry…

Hi Mihir – thanks. I hadn’t heard that quote from DG, but I think it is indeed up to the authors to have a realistic approach to race in their novels.

I remember China Miéville stating that race-lines in his Bas-Lag novels was divided by species rather than colour; so few people notice that the lead protagonist in “Perdido Street Station” were black. It was very well done.

By: Mihir

Mihir — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:06:37 +0000

Those are some excellent points for debate Mark. Especially 1&2 it, those alteration might smirk more of Racism than the other three. This reminds me on an incident recounted in one of interviews of David Gemmell at the Wolfshead page These were DG’s words “I originally wrote Pagan as a character after a young fan of Legend said to me: ‘I love your books, mate. You know where its at.’ I asked him what he meant. He looked at me and smiled and said: ‘No spades in Legend.’ That was a watershed for me. Not until then did I realise what a responsibility an author has. As well as entertaining readers we need to raise awareness and battle the idiocies and evils of prejudice in all its forms.”

So yes I would Racism does exist but as fantasy writers explore & develop cultural diaspora in their writings I believe we can take significant steps in eradicating it.

By: David E

David E — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:04:54 +0000

Issues of racism and prejudice can come up in regard to the cover art as well:

http://black-african-woman.blogspot.com/2009/08/this-white-washing-needs-to-stop.html